Psalms 61:1-6

Context

Psalm 61¹

For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.

61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!

Pay attention to my prayer!

61:2 From the most remote place on earth²

I call out to you in my despair.³

Lead me⁴ up to an inaccessible rocky summit!⁵

61:3 Indeed,⁶ you are⁷ my shelter,

a strong tower that protects me from the enemy.⁸

61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home;⁹

I will find shelter in the protection of your wings.¹⁰ (Selah)

61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows;

you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers.¹¹

61:6 Give the king long life!

Make his lifetime span several generations!¹²

[61:1] ¹sn Psalm 61. The psalmist cries out for help and expresses his confidence that God will protect him.

[61:2] ²tn Heb “from the end of the earth.” This may indicate (1) the psalmist is exiled in a distant land, or (2) it may be hyperbolic (the psalmist feels alienated from God’s presence, as if he were in a distant land).

[61:2] ³tn Heb “while my heart faints.”

[61:2] ⁴tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s wish or prayer.

[61:2] ⁵tn Heb “on to a rocky summit [that] is higher than I.”

[61:3] ⁶tn Or “for.”

[61:3] ⁷tn Or “have been.”

[61:3] ⁸tn Heb “a strong tower from the face of an enemy.”

[61:4] ⁹tn Heb “I will live as a resident alien in your tent permanently.” The cohortative is understood here as indicating resolve. Another option is to take it as expressing a request, “please let me live” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[61:4] ¹⁰sn I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.

[61:5] ¹¹tn Heb “you grant the inheritance of those who fear your name.” “Inheritance” is normally used of land which is granted as an inheritance; here it refers metaphorically to the blessings granted God’s loyal followers. To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11).

[61:6] ¹²tn Heb “days upon days of the king add, his years like generation and generation.”